I like the ESX idea, unless you have multiple DC's but it doesn't sound like you do.

As for the OEM licensing, that's incorrect. OEM licenses are only good on the machine they are purchased with. Windows Standard, if you install virtualization on it (not the box, theOS) allows you 1 virtual instance for free (so you could have 2 on the same license, the host and 1 VM). Windows Enterprise allows you 4, and Windows Datacenter allows you unlimited, except that Datacenter is licensed per processor not per physical host.

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very simple - just install Os and build your new dc on the physical server - replicate and move any/all services to the new physical box and you have it. If you have the Os licensing, keep the virtual box as a secondary (not really secondary), but a second domain controller is crucial for business contengency.

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And why not keep server virtual? if your new box has enough power, run esxi on it, use vmware converter to migrate from virtual pc to real server. works like a charm... you can even have multiple servers in its memory. Btw, from what i heard if you have an oem windows 2003 sp1 (or the original oem 2003 version), it's license covers any number of virtual hosts loaded on the physical pc....

I like the ESX idea, unless you have multiple DC's but it doesn't sound like you do.

As for the OEM licensing, that's incorrect. OEM licenses are only good on the machine they are purchased with. Windows Standard, if you install virtualization on it (not the box, theOS) allows you 1 virtual instance for free (so you could have 2 on the same license, the host and 1 VM). Windows Enterprise allows you 4, and Windows Datacenter allows you unlimited, except that Datacenter is licensed per processor not per physical host.

Windows Standard, if you install virtualization on it (not the box, theOS) allows you 1 virtual instance for free (so you could have 2 on the same license, the host and 1 VM).

Does that go for the CALs too? I would like to have a Primary and Secondary DC, one of them being virtual. Do I need a separate set of CALs for the VM or will the licences bought for the physical box do for the virtual server running on it?

Doesn't matter! User CAL's go with the user and they can use the resources off of as many servers as you have.

You may be thinking of device/server CAL's. The idea there was, let's say you have a company with 20 administrative users and 100 warehouse users. Well, there are only 5 guys from the warehouse that will ever use the server and they'll only ever use the one server where the ERP is located. So you'd have 20 user CAL's for the administrative people and 5 server CAL's for the warehouse, instead of 120 user CAL's.

Of course, the reality these days is almost everyone has a computer and needs it so User CAL's are just easier to deal with.

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